The town was aptly named, Goldfield. Today it is a mere mining ghost town,
but back in 1902 it was the site of one of the great gold rushes of the
20th Century. So, great was this find, that Goldfield became the county seat
of Esmeralda ( Emerald ) in the southwestern part of Nevada. In 1910 the
production of ore reached an all time high, valued at more than 11 million
dollars. Federal troops came to town during a massive labor struggle
( 1907 - 08 ) between the miners and the owner/operators. But the boom lasted
only until the end of World War I in 1918. After that Goldfield's population
declined rapidly from an estimated 40,000 to less than 400.

Goldfield Deep Mines of Nevada was one of the major operators thru - out the
boom period. And, presented here is a check from this same company from the
bust - period ( after 1918 ) when the mines had petered out and the population
of miners, saloon keepers, tradesmen etc. all left for greener pastures.
It is the last remnant of this greatest gold find of the 20th Century.